They will put together five programme components. The legendary World Drummers Ensemble, brought together by the organization for The Big Bang exclusively, will be the festival\'s climax.

Programme
Acclaimed drummer Simon Phillips (The Who, Toto) will show his fabulous melodic playing along with top percussionists from all over the world: talking drum player Baba Sissoko from Mali, unimitable tambourine player Carlo Rizzo from Italy, multipercussionist Pete Lockett from United Kingdom and the eccentric Armenian percussionist Arto Tunçboyaciyan (Joe Zawinul Syndicate).

Dutch-Turkish percussionist Sjahin During will perform his cd \'Afro Anatolian Tales\' live for the first time, with the help of:

• Arto Tunçboyaciyan (percussion, vocals) - Armenia
  
• Pasha Karami (tombak, daf) - Iran
  
• Bart Fermie (percussion) - The Netherlands
  
• Alex Simu (sax, clarinet, soundscapes) - Romenia

Capoeira artist Ederson Rodrigues Xavier will dance on Steve Reich\'s Nagoya Marimbas, performed by marimba duo Laurent Warnier and Rachel Zhang.

Dutch drummer Kim Weemhoff (Candy Dulfer, Mathilde Santing, Wende Snijders) is host of the evening and will garantee some surprising intermezzos. One more act will be added to the festival\'s live-up. This will be announced soon.

World Drummers Ensemble 2008
Legendary World Drummers Ensemble is a special combination of five excellent drummers and percussionists who will perform together at The Big Bang exclusively. The World Drummers Ensemble 2008 consists of:

• Simon Phillips - United States
  
• Baba Sissoko - Mali
  
• Carlo Rizzo - Italy
  
• Arto Tunçboyaciyan - Armenia
  
• Pete Lockett - United Kingdom

Itinerary The Big Bang
The Big Bang will travel from De Doelen in Rotterdam via Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam, Vredenburg Leidsche Rijn in Utrecht, Muziekcentrum Frits Philips in Eindhoven to Muziekkwartier in Enschede. The festival will take place every night between 20.00 and 23.00 from November 22-28, 2008.

Previous festival editions
The Big Bang has earned a reputation will their unique World Drummers Ensemble, a combination of various drummers from different continents and different traditions.

Since 1994 the Ensemble has featured artists such as Terry Bozzio, Zakir Hussain, David Garibaldi, Will Kennedy, Adama Dramé, Richie Flores, Bill Bruford, Luis Conte, Chad Wackerman, Doudou N’Diaye Rose, Keith Carlock, Selvaganesh and Glen Velez.

In the week prior to the festival all drummers meet in the Netherlands for an intensive preparation of the concert range.

The Big Bang take place under the auspices of Stichting Het Slagwerkfestival. The festival\'s web site will be launched soon at www.thebigbang.nl.

Support
The festival is supported by a multi-year grant of the ministry of OCW, youth and music and by the following sponsors: main sponsor Zildjian cymbals and Tama drums, co-sponsor Remo drumheads/percussion.